Teddy Bear picnic

 Last week at the Library. we planned on going to the Teddy Bear picnic but were late from swim lessons and missed the picnic part of the activity. We did however read some of the Teddy Bear books and came across this one. I read it to the kids and they thoroughly enjoyed it. We check it out and have read it everyday/night since. :)

 (This is the only picture I could find of the book)

The next day, Emma really wanted to have a picnic at the park. I told her to go get us a basket that that we could use as a picnic basket. She grabbed this gift box; it works :)

Yummy picnic and great story time of our own at the park.

a boy and his nails....

I'll open our 4th of July celebrations with this pre-4th of July post.

The day before the 4th, I asked Emma and her cousin Lucy if they would like their nails painted with 4th of July colors. Thomas kept saying he wanted his nails painted. Before I got to the painting, Thomas was painting with some water colors and said, "Hey look, I painted my nails." :) That works. 

 Well then the actual painting of nails actually took action and Thomas still wanted his nails painted. And there you have it folks. Derek was thrilled to see his son's toe nails and finger nails painted when he got home from work that day. :) Doesn't he look festive? haha.

I will post some pictures of our 4th of July celebrations soon.

Camping and Tea parties...that's how we roll

 The big boys did this....

While the girls did this....and Joseph played in the family room. :)

 Thomas and Derek went to a Father and Sons camp out this past weekend up near Daniel's Summit. 

Thomas was excited to help Daddy put the tent up by hitting the stakes into the ground with a big rock.  What a good helper.

They had a rope bridge the boys could walk across and Thomas kept going on that thing numerous times, before and after dinner.

 He was REALLY looking forward to roasting marshmallows. The fire was WAY hot to stand close to, so he kept his distance.

 Such a cute picture of Thomas and Daddy ready to go to bed.

He was WASTED after a full day of swimming at 7 peaks and then the fun camp out with Daddy. He was one of the last ones that woke up the next morning. Pooped out!

 He was able to snag the last of the breakfast since he was such a late riser.

 Oh poor little guy. The mosquitoes liked him a little too much. His face and neck are covered with mosquito bites even after spraying bug spray on him. When he got home from camping, his eyes were swollen. :(

 I guess there were a TON of green caterpillars all over the camp ground. Here is Carson Scott (one of our neighbor boys that Thomas just adores) showing him the caterpillar he caught. Thomas was in heaven.

 Non stop entertainment. Catching the catopiwows=caterpillars :)

 Searching for more caterpillars with the boys, Liam and Reagan.

The Scouts had been earning "scout bucks"  and would buy candy at the trading post through out the week. So at the end of Saturday morning, Brother Peacock had a clearance sale at the trading post for all the youth from smallest to biggest. Thomas was toward the beginning of the line and came home with loads of candy and a gigantic sweet tooth.

While the older boys were having fun; Joseph, Emma and I had a fun evening. Emma thought carefully of her restaurant of choice for dinner; Zupas. We ran an errand to Costco after dinner then made our way home to have a much anticipated "Tea Party" that Emma had been talking about ALL day. Since our kitchen has been in shambles due to remodeling we moved the kids small picnic table into dining room area and set it up appropriately for a tea party. :) I love that Emma put on her sleeping beauty dress. Fits a little snug on her but doesn't stop her :) We wore our special hats that belonged to my Great Grandma Lucille and we bring them out of the hat box on special occasions such as a tea party. Emma was SO excited that we got to use my formal tea cups. It was a good night. 

We then ended the night with reading books in my bed together and
then conked out. She loves sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed. What is it about Moms' and Dads' beds that seem so much more comfortable? I remember feeling like that when I was littler.

 Later Joe Joe joined us and Emma kept putting her hat on him.

Fun filled weekend for the Frazier folks.

these clowns....

 Our kids enjoyed the Pleasant Grove City Library's entertainment this morning, a Magic Show. After the magic show Emma wanted to check out one of the magic books. 

While I was making dinner, the kids were doing all sorts of stuff like Emma putting a diaper on Thomas. What in the world?! He kept it on for about an hour or so. Silly kids.

 In the Magic Show, the magician did some juggling. The kids painted their skin with side walk chalk

to be like clowns and did some pretend juggling. :) And Thomas still wearing a diaper outside of his shorts. What a clown.

 Face paint with chalk.

 And here they are trying to juggle with these items. 

There is never a dull moment in this household I tell ya. :)

Aaaarrrggh Mateys...

 Emma and Thomas have had a fun story time theme at the library this week, "PIRATES!" 

Yesterday the kids were begging to do a treasure hunt in our yard after making their parrots from the library. But things were a little crazy with a torn up kitchen due to remodeling, so it didn't happen yesterday.  Today was low key so we made it happen. :)

 I made a quick treasure map for them to follow.

Ready to begin the treasure hunt!

 They hop to their first destination...the chicken coop.

 running to the pear tree...

 After a few more destinations, they made it to X marks the spot. :)

 Ooooohhh treasures like bead necklaces, sparkly rings, big gold chuckee cheese coin, and a note saying, "Aaaarrg, you get a popsicle!" hahahahha.

 Cutest little pirates!

Strawberry Days 2013

  Keeping traditions alive around here! :)

We walked in the Strawberry Days parade yesterday. It started out a little rough with all the wind and balloons flying away into the heavens with some sad tears from a little girl. We tied the balloons to the kids bikes and they kept blowing in the kids faces (like in picture of Thomas below, HA!)  and then Emma's popped off by another biker. Thoughts going through my head, "oh no, parade hasn't even started yet..that's just greeeat!" 

I told her she can choose to be upset and let it rain on her parade (no pun intended--actually I didn't really tell her that, I just thought of that one just now) or have a good time. She chose to have a good time. And it was. 

 Thomas biking next to his good friend, Gavin. They're both pretty new at this whole riding in parade thing on bikes. They were such champs. They were concentrating on everything around them.

 Thomas got so confident and riding like a pro. He was ahead of our family most of the time. He'd make his rounds to keep up with us :)

 See, she was happy.

 Daddy and Joseph. :)

STRAWBERRY DAYS RODEO

Even though we were exhausted, we made it to the opening night of the rodeo.
SO glad we went. We went and checked out the awesome cattle first. The kids were stoked, can't you tell? 

 (Thomas even looks like he's doing the sprinkler dance. There was fun music playing)

 

Daddy's favorite picture of kids standing by General Lee. He thinks this is truly American right there. :)

 Still dancing

 Family picture taken just before we froze our noses off and Thomas started getting grumpy because he was cold. The kind family in front of us offered their blanket to us. Yup, so weren't prepared for that cold of weather. Hello end of June weather, how are ya?

 Joseph wasn't a fan. Who would be sitting in an enclosed space hearing ALL of this commotion going on on the outside? He endured it for a couple hours and then it was home we went.

 Cheering on the horses and cowboys, these two.

Good times!